Behavioral Activation for Depression: A Clinician's Guide

by Christopher R. Martell, Sona Dimidjian, Ruth Herman-Dunn

From leading experts with a decade of experience in research and clinical practice in behavioral activation (BA), this book provides empirically tested tools for helping clients overcome depression by becoming active and engaged in their lives. BA is a stand-alone treatment whose principles can be integrated easily with other approaches that therapists already use. Guidelines are presented for identifying individualized treatment targets, monitoring and scheduling “antidepressant” activities—experiences that are likely to be rewarding and pleasurable—and decreasing avoidance and ruminative thinking. Rich clinical illustrations include an extended case example that runs throughout the book. More than 20 activity planning forms, worksheets, and other reproducible materials are featured.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Social Work

220 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Ian Felton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Designed for brief therapy, this book suggests a maximum of 24 sessions. With patients who have deep-seated shame and punishing guilt, you aren't going to see much movement in 24 sessions. One patient of mine, after over a year, is still withholding deeply shameful things because the pain is too great to expose. He also has a deep sense of shame around failing. If I took an approach to therapy that required setting tasks each week, he would have been so overwhelmed with anxiety around failing, that he would have dropped out long ago.

There are some useful ideas in here, but to use this as a general approach for depression is risky. The BA coaching approach can be useful for weaving into some treatments, but should still be considered complimentary to more robust case conceptualization. I wouldn't recommend following an approach of diagnosing depression and then jumping into BA. Take some time to understand the deeper history of the client and figure out what they need. If it's BA coaching, by all means, follow the method in this guide.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough and easy to read, if perhaps sometimes a bit dull, summary of behavioral activation which seemlessly incorporates themes from other behavioralist modalities such as ACT and DBT.

[Chet Taranowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great and practical guide to including behavioral activation in the treatment of depression. The idea is to get the client moving. These interventions can be included in psychotherapy, no matter what the clinician's orientation might be.

[Piero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clean system, easily integratale with other interventions, possibly cognitive in nature.
I would have preferred an operational key concepts summary of Behavioural Analysis.

[Joseph Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and practical explanation of BA. Excited to continue and get some didactic training in this area.

[Mohamadamin Nasri · Rating 3 out of 5]

فقط بهش میشه بعنوان التیام کوتاه مدت نگاه کرد.

[Tim Gannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great text to learn about Behavioral Activation - an evidence-based therapy for clients - an easy read - organized well - offers examples - provides a sound foundation for applying it with your patients

[Kayla Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Behavioral activation is KEY!!!!!!!! Cannot express this enough. Implementing opposite action when working with depression.